Why are we reforming healthcare?

I have posted a number of times about what I want in a healthcare reform. My wish list is rather simple:

1. I want premiums to go down to a level of affordability that does not render them a veritable mortgage payment, as they presently are.
2. I want my health insurance to be there for me when I need it.

It's a rather simple wish list.

One of my preferred publications, Vox, did a story today about what a variety of our senators in D.C. believe the purpose of their healthcare reform is. Some excerpts:

We can start with the Maverick John McCain, the GOP's 2008 standard bearer (who was stuck in the unenviable position of having to be the successor to George W. Bush's clusterf**k tenure).

Tara Golshan

Policy-wise. What are the problems [in the American health care system] this is trying to solve — and is the bill doing that right now?

John McCain

Well, it's whether you have full repeal, whether you have partial repeal, whether you have the basis of it. It's spread all over.

Tara Golshan

But based on the specifics of the bill you have heard so far, is it solving the problems [in the health care system]?

John McCain

What I hear is that we have not reached consensus. That’s what everybody knows.

Tara Golshan

Right, but outside of getting the votes. From what you hear of the actual legislation being written, is it solving the problems you see —

John McCain

It's not being written. Because there's no consensus.

Tara Golshan

But generally speaking, what are the big problems it is trying to solve?

John McCain

You name it. Everything from the repeal caucus, which as you know, they have made their views very clear — Rand Paul, etc. And then there are the others on the other side of the spectrum that just want to make minor changes to the present system. There’s not consensus.

So, according to John McCain, the goal of the GOP health policy is to make sure that we change the current policy? do we have actual, substantive goals other than sticking it to Obama?

Let's move along to another senator, that conservative stalwart of thoughtfulness and son of JFK conspirator Ted Cruz.

Dylan Scott
Stepping back, what is the most important thing for this bill to achieve? How is it going to make things better? 

Ted Cruz
The most important objective in repealing Obamacare is to lower health insurance premiums.
The biggest reason so many millions of people are frustrated and angry with Obamacare is that it’s caused premiums to skyrocket, making health insurance unaffordable. That is a problem the federal government caused, and we need to fix that. 

Dylan Scott
Do you think you can lower premiums for everyone, though? Because obviously there are some policies that could lower premiums for some people but might not for others.

Ted Cruz
Under Obamacare, the average family’s premiums have increased over $5,000 a year. Every week, when I go back to Texas, I hear from Texans who say, “I can’t afford health insurance for my family.” That is an enormous problem, and it is the direct legacy of the failed policy of Obamacare. 

Dylan Scott
So the idea is that it needs to average out to a premium decrease, even if some people might see higher premiums? 

Ted Cruz
We should work toward giving consumers more choices, more options, more competition, and as a result lower prices that are more affordable.

Now, this is a master class in dissembling. For all of those who yearn for the repeal of Obamacare, my question remains: What is the goal, and how do you expect the bill being debated to achieve that goal?

As I've pointed out before, we spend a whole lot of money on healthcare in this country and get very little in return, relative to the rest of the world. Imagine, for a moment if you will, if we were getting hit like this for gasoline in America? American gas costs 69% of the global average price of gas, whereas American healthcare costs roughly 200% of the global average. 

How would you react if someone said that we were going to create policy that would result in gasoline costing nearly $6/gallon, whereas it presently costs roughly $2/gallon? Would that be a triumph of freedom and repeal of job-killing regulations, or would that feel more like you're getting taken for a ride?

I will be the first to admit that Obamacare was sub-optimal. I will also say that as soon as the GOP can show me a proposal that will (1) lower my premiums to something closer to the global average cost of healthcare; and (2) ensures that my healthcare coverage (be it through private insurance or the government) is there for me and my family when I need it, I will be a full-throated supporter of whatever proposal they roll out.

I, for one, am tired of this ride and would like our policy makers to do something to make it stop hurting. Who's with me?